SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON WOMEN’S RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE IN L.M MONTGOMERY’S ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31851/szx5ay75Keywords:
Ecofeminism, Gender Expectations, Women, Nature, Social Expectations Toward WomenAbstract
This study aims to analyze how social expectations shape women’s identities and influence perceptions of femininity within patriarchal societies reflected through the symbolic relationship between women and nature in the character of Anne in L.M Montgomery’s novel Anne of Green Gables. This study employs a qualitative research method using an ecofeminist analytical framework, with data collected through in-depth reading and textual analysis of selected passages. The findings reveal that nature functions not merely as a background setting but as a symbolic space that reflects Anne’s emotional freedom, imagination, and identity. As the narrative progresses, Anne’s relationship with nature gradually shifts alongside her adaptation to social expectations regarding femininity, including ideals associated with proper behavior, appearance, domesticity, and social acceptance. This transformation illustrates how patriarchal values shape female identity through processes of discipline and conformity. This study concludes that Anne of Green Gables encodes a profound ecofeminist critique, demonstrating that the domestication of nature and the disciplining of women are expressions of the same patriarchal logic, and that recognizing this connection remains deeply relevant to understanding the formation of women’s identities in contemporary society.
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